Let’s start by reminding you that air is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, the remaming 1% is made up from argon, helium, cow farts, ozone and the like.
So the question should be: Should I use 100% nitrogen in my motorcycle tyres?
It’s a common sell at the local car tyre chain, you’ll no doubt have seen cars with green tyre valve caps, which are usually used when nitrogen has been used to inflate the tyres. It’s less common in the motorcycle world.
Nitrogen does have some perceived benefits: the molecules are larger so it doesn’t escape out of the porous tyre carcass as easily (yes, really) as air. It doesn’t contain the same moisture content as air – and it’s the moisture expanding as much as the gas that causes the pressure change. Nitrogen is more stable and so the variation of pressure isn’t as great between cold and hot tyres.
The issue is, what happens when you want to adjust your pressure or top up your tyres? Where’s your source of pure nitrogen?
For trackdays it isn’t neccessary either – just inflate your tyres, warm them up (on warmers or during the first session), check your pressures when hot and ensure they are what the manufacturer recommends and you’re good to go. Nitrogen isn’t going to help in that situation.
Yes you could pay extra for pure nitrogen in your tyres but we don’t think it’s worth it.
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